Overseas/mail order or local purchase?

[mark lane]

As i only have an electric fixed pitched bird at present, when i come to buy my 600 i will need EVERYTHING to get me going!

I have priced up all thats needed in my local HS and although not unreasonable i feel i can save loads by buying mail order or from overseas (if your lucky with customs).... dilemma!!

Do i go with the local HS and receive the much needed support/aftersales or save hundreds by shopping around.

I am in retail myself and know how important it is to support local business, but i am on a tight budget and saving hard for my pride and joy. I dont really want to go back to the HS and push them for matched prices that they may not be able to match. Iwill definately be buying ongoing spares and fuel etc from them in the future and need to maintain a good relationship.

What do you think everyone!!

has anybody bought from overseas and or e-bay with any success. some packages are amazingly priced from HK and the states?

Mark.

[fatmantom]

i bought from flying-hobby.com (Hong Kong) and it is still in customs getting charged a fortune! not only that but im having to wait weeks for it to go through the customs process's

however i have been unlucky to get hit by them and there are lots on here that have sailed through and come away with a real bargin!...

its a risk... you have to decide whether u want to take it or not!

[Tim Procter]

Bought a hell of a lot of kit via the Hong Kong route and saved hundreds..

I also spend quite a stash in my local hobby shop so in return I can ask for advise etc without them having a problem.

Get the major expensive items via HK and keep your LHS happy by purchasing goods from them too.

They all know the score and accept it.... in my case anyway..

[Disc]

Shopping around in the UK can save money as well.

There are quite a few differences in shop prices here as well!

[Sesame]

yeah sometimes the savings you look to be making arn't that great, especially if you get hit like Tom.

ive bought a couple of engines from overseas and been luck and yes ive saved a fair bit on them, also a couple of gyros, but it does just depend weather your lucks in and if you get missed by customs

[Mike W]

Always bought in this country as I dont like to wait lol ... Alot of my stuff i get from LHS ... I only have to mention Midlands and he always does it for the same price lol ... Mind u I spent a fair few grand over the years so he does me reasonable prices to begin with ... Plus I fly with the owner of the LHS at my field which makes it better .... I would rather spend that little bit extra and know I got the support if needed ... plus next day delivery is a bonus hehe

[HiltonSteve]

Just bought 3 new Futaba 9452 servo's from the Heli Hobby in the states and thought you may be interested in the prices..

Various suppliers in UK - between £69 and £79 + shipping (£10 approx)

Helihobby in the states - $69 = £35 + shipping
Shipping cost from states - $32 = £16.34
Customs charges - £21
Parcel force handling fee! = £15
Delivery time - 6 days

So buying the servo's in the UK would have cost approx £217-£247

Buying them from the states cost me £157.34, a saving of between £60 and £89 which i think is worth waiting an extra few days for.

Can anyone tell me why parts like these are so much more expensive in the UK? I mean the actual cost of the servo's without including the shipping is half the price!

[forbsy]

i read somewhere that the uk distributors just change the dollar sign to a pound sign and no one says anything or does anything

[Andy from Sandy]

Read raptorheli2's tag line, "rip off Britain and no changing it".

At every stage of the sales process VAT keeps being added. If there is an importer followed by a distributor followed by the LHS then three lots of VAT just went on the goods plus each ones mark up.

[Taffage]

Bought a T-Rex 600N pro fully loaded with gy611, 9451's on cyclic, all the needed electrics, OS50 hyper, tuned pipe etc etc with a number of upgrades + carbon blades + 2x 2000mah lipos from HK for £750 incl delivery.

My local HS could not get within £500!!!

Since then another club member has bought one exactly the same

You also tend to avoid VAT or customs if bought from the far east, but from USA you get hit every time

[raptorheli2]

Read raptorheli2's tag line, "rip off Britain and no changing it".

lol, someone spotted my RR location. i don't use it here as we all know it's a damn rip off. i do love it when it's pushed down our throats "i went to my lhs today and they put 30% fuel (insert fav brand) up to $15 a gallon...........

cheers